The basic method of making prosciutto:
After having cut and cleaned the leg, let it lie flat for a day in a cool place. Then cover it with salt and let it lie fiat on one side for 4 days, then, again for 4 more days on the other side.
When the salting period is over, rub it vigorously with fresh salt and let it stand for a few more days without salt.
Wash the leg several times with cold water in order to remove the remaining salt and hang in a dry, airy, ventilated place.
This stage is very important since the air plays a primary role in the quality of the final product. It is not possible to set the length of this stage in advance; it depends on the local climate. The prosciutto will be ready when entirely dry. It generally takes 12-18 months to achieve a fine quality prosciutto. (In Italy, the production is supervised and approved by a local
board, in charge of controlling and preserving the quality of the product.)
NOTE: Prosciutto can be made anywhere that has moderate climatic conditions. The fact that prosciutto is so distinctive, in terms of aroma (fragrant) and taste (sweet) is because the climatic condition in Italy allows for a subtle aging. It is a natural phenomenon that cannot be easily explained or duplicated.
http://www.milioni.com/salumi/inglese/dati/10.htm
Salt Cured Ham
Ingredients
2 pt Salt
1 Ham
CURING PROCESS:
Instructions
You will need a FRESH ham. If at all possible, find some Jefferson Island Salt. We have less trouble losing hams when we use that. If not, use canning salt -- DO NOT USE IODIZED SALT.
For each ham use two pints of salt. Rub salt well into all sides of ham, filling bone cavity.
I suppose that I should have told you prior to this that you have to have a salt box constructed of wood -- a very strong salt box. It may have to withstand the assault of neighborhood dogs. Box should be large enough to hold hams in a single layer. (Ours is 3'x5' on the bottom and about 2' high.) Size doesn't matter much as long as hams don't butt up against each other and it's not so small that the dogs can move it.
On to curing: You will have salt left after rubbing on hams. Place a thin layer of the salt in the bottom of the box. Place ham on this, skin side down. Pour the remaining salt on the ham. Place top on box and secure. Find a handy calendar and mark down three weeks.
Okay, ham comes up then. Wash salt off ham and LIBERALLY coat with black pepper. (Use dust mask from workshop if pepper bothers you.) Place in cloth sack (old pillow case will do nicely) and hang.
Do not cut for at least 6 months, 1 year is better. All of this should be done when the temp is 35 to 50 degrees. Good luck. No guarantees. (Sugar cure is better!) Virginia (KY)
http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-archive/7/A07845.shtml
Thursday, September 6, 2007
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3 comments:
Oh, many many times, as recently as a few months ago -- however, all of these times were in my imagination only. As long as I have still not really made prosciutto, something wonderful will always remain for me to do.
I don't know why but I sometimes am surprised to hear myself thinking 'I wish he would actually make prosciutto' and, then, of course, I also hear myself think "I wonder if he would share some with me" and then I, sometimes, I think "I could be having fun with him all the time so why aren't I?'
It is lovely, that something wonderful will always remain to be done but it also lovely to do wonderful things in the now.
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